The article sited below details a plan to open up the Penobscot River in Maine to atlantic salmon and other anadromous fish by demolishing existing dams that have restricted access to traditional spawning water for decades.

For those of us who remember the promising beginning of the efforts to restore atlantic salmon runs in the Penobscot, and then were disappointed with the almost total extinction of the fish in recent years, this is a real step forward.

I can remember the truly exciting salmon fishing the Penobscot provided as recently as the early 1980's. That fishing was very much the result of restoration efforts that, IMHO, would very likely have been successful had the dams -- especially the Veazie Dam -- been breached back then. Better late than never and, hopefully, not too late for an old fart like me.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1007/p03s01-uspo.html

jcc_00

10-24-2003, 09:09 AM

Smolt,

I remember some West Branch salmon adventures on the Penobscot fondly. I thought that I understood now though, that the native strain of fish was so low that they are not even trying to preserve the eggs of the few returning breeders. Do you know if that has been reversed to value the native wild strain and try and re-stock with the actual Penobscot resident race of salmon when the repair to the river is made?

In the PNW much has been made of the distinction between wild steelhead strains even within the same river system. Amazing adaptions, tied to the native strains, is now understood to be a major factor in specie survival over an extended period of time. I hope we value the same adaption strategy on the Penobscot.